Anyone Ever Used Trout Beads?

[troutchaser]

I've been considering Trout Beads for Taneycomo. I know there are several folks on here who have used them in Alaska and/or Canada.

Do you think they would be effective?

My personal opinion is that they would really catch fish, but I'd like some input from others.

[duckydoty]

I, and a few others have tried them on Taney along with Alaska. They are effective on Taney, I just like using other methods for fishing on Taney.

[troutchaser]

What other methods?

[timsfly]

I have had some luck with them at Roaring River, I love all the colors and they are so easy to use.

[Micheal Kyle]

I have used them and fish them just like a regular egg pattern the only difference is that the egg is pegged above the hook. I do not fish them the same as I do in Alaska. In Alaska we use heavy lead with a shotting line here I use a Floating line just as you would fish a regular egg under an indicator. I like the mottled roe the best.

Michael

[fisher19]

What are trout beads and where can you get them? Do any stores around here sell them? Just wondering because i've never seen them before and would like to give them a try.

[fishinwrench]

pegging beads is kind of an ethical issue, the technique is designed as a way for lazy guides to simply get a fish on the line of someone who lacks skills .....it is more like politically correct snagging !

whoo Boy, bet I get it for that comment...but that's how I personally see it. Whether it is truly ethical or not is up to the individual I suppose, but It certainly isn't "flyfishing".

[Jeremy Hunt]

In my opinion, and it’s only a opinion. I spent all summer trying them in high water. I did the technique as Michael mention, but had little success. It might be something I’m doing, maybe the size hook or the beads weren’t the right color. But I gave it my all and wasn’t impressed. I still do better on artificial egg patterns regardless of what the waters doing. I did catch fish, but I lost a lot to. Still trying to figure it out.

One thing I learned from someone who fishes trout beads is dip them in Softex to make them softer to the touch. Also painting beads with nail polish gives them a great finish and adds another look to them as well.

[Phil Lilley]

"pegging beads is kind of an ethical issue, the technique is designed as a way for lazy guides to simply get a fish on the line of someone who lacks skills .....it is more like politically correct snagging ! "

I resemble that remark

[jdmidwest]

I have never used them in Missouri for trout, but they should work. If you peg them, then you are not really fishing with a fly per MO's definition so you would probably not want to try them in fly only areas. You are essentially fishing with a bare hook.

In Alaska, where Dollies and Trout feed on eggs from the many salmon spawning in a river, they work great. As far as the pegging issue, I don't think I ever had a fish swallow a hook and all were released in great shape. You can't do that with a lot of other techniques. There are limits on how far up from the hook to peg it, mine was always about an inch. I tried other patterns because the dollies we fished for were so easy to catch with beads. But, the bead was the best producer.